The campus community mourns the passing of Katherine Wheatcroft M’75, 92, who died Friday, Feb. 6. Katherine retired after more than 17 years of service to Bucknell within the College of Arts & Sciences and as adviser of The Bucknellian. She is remembered as an enthusiastic and kind colleague who was a dedicated mentor to the students she worked with, both in classes and particularly with The Bucknellian.  I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others. On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Katherine’s family, […]

The campus community mourns the passing of Richard Peterec, 94, who died Monday, January 5. Dick retired after more than 41 years of service to Bucknell as a professor of geography and international relations. Professor Peterec had a lasting impact on Bucknell as a cofounder of the University’s international relations program, now a department. He inspired generations of students to engage with world affairs and continues to be admired by many alumni who had him as a professor. I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others. On behalf of our entire […]

The campus community mourns the passing of Bill Becker, 90, who died Sunday, September 28. Bill retired after more than 32 years of service to Bucknell as a professor of religious studies. I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others. On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Bill’s family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell. John C. BravmanPresident Minneapolis, Minnesota – William (“Bill”) Hartshorne Becker, 90, died in his sleep on September 28, 2025. Bill lived in Lewisburg, PA for most […]

The campus community mourns the passing of James Heath, 91, who died Monday, June 2, 2025. Jim retired as a classics professor in 1997 after more than 30 years of service at Bucknell. Jim’s expertise was in Roman historians, especially Tacitus. He is remembered as a gracious and learned colleague who was beloved by his students, many of whom have remarked on his lasting influence on their lives. Jim was always ready to help faculty, students and staff across departments interact with the ancient world — putting English phrases and mottos into classical Latin, giving overviews of literary and historical […]

The campus community mourns the passing of Marilyn Mumford, 90, who died Saturday, Jan. 25. Marilyn retired after nearly 41 years of service to Bucknell as a professor of English. She is remembered as a vibrant colleague in the English department and in the women’s studies program, cherished by a generation of women and gay colleagues for whom she broke new ground in emerging academic fields. Many will never forget her mentorship — laced with equal parts acerbic wit and immense kindness — during their first days on campus. I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share […]

The campus community mourns the passing of Jeffrey Bowen, who died Saturday, Nov. 23. Jeffrey retired as professor emeritus of physics in 2014 after 35 years of service to Bucknell. His departmental colleagues valued him as a friend for many years, and admired his commitment to his students and his role in developing an award-winning curriculum. He will be missed. I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others. On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Jeffrey’s family, as well as to all who knew him […]

The campus community mourns the passing of Howard Smith, 76, who died Monday, Oct. 21, in Wales, UK. Howard retired as professor emeritus of mathematics in 2013 after more than 24 years of service to Bucknell. Known for his sharp intelligence and wit, Howard was a group theorist and algebraist who was beloved by his students and colleagues. He was a highly accomplished and published scholar who loved philosophy and poetry, particularly the works of Robert Burns and Dylan Thomas, and was widely considered a Renaissance man. Howard was never happier (or more tense) than when watching Wales play rugby. […]

The campus community mourns the passing of John Murphy, 91, who died Thursday, Oct. 10. John retired as professor emeritus of English after 28 years of service to Bucknell. John’s colleagues fondly remember him as a lively conversationalist, passionate teacher and scholar, and energetic biker. He was an unfailingly kind and supportive mentor to his many junior colleagues. He loved sharing his enthusiasm for his own field, British Romanticism, and was also eager to learn about new disciplinary approaches and methods. Even a few short years before retirement, John immersed himself in literary theory, becoming an avid participant in the […]

The campus community mourns the passing of David Pearson, 85, who died Sunday, May 26. David retired from Bucknell in 2004 as Professor Emeritus of Biology after 37 years of service as a faculty member.  As a professor, David taught popular courses for both majors and non-majors and always cared about his students and their development as biologists. David was one of five founding faculty of an interdisciplinary course on AIDS, where he represented immunology (along with others who taught chemistry, virology, sociology, and economics). The success of this interdisciplinary course was one of the inspirations for the current curriculum […]

John E. Gale died at home of leukemia on December 20th, 2023 surrounded by family.John had taught French at Bucknell University from 1967 until his retirement in 1998. Later, he lived in Princeton, NJ, then Yardley, PA. No obituary is available at this time. I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.